Originally Posted by thumpism (Post 22611825)

Welcome! Can't wait to see the pix.

Originally Posted by Road Fan (Post 22610442)

Hi, here's what I hope is a new topic, but I apologize if it is old hat.

I'm rebuilding my 1952 Rudge Aero Special, a 27" Reynolds-framed drop bar bike made in Nottingham. Current stage is to install the H/S cups and the fork. I've been told the head tube IDs are to be 30.0 mm, and mine are (actually 29.97 mm, if I can believe my Harbor Freight digital caliper!). Also, Park Tool says the maximum allowed interference in such a press-fit installation is to be maximum 0.2 mm (not 0.20 mm for some reason).

My fixed cups have OD of 30.28 mm, so the interference is too great to use, if Park Tool is correct. Has anyone ever installed a HS with this much interference? The head tube is 531 with nicely brazed lugs and 70 years old. Should I go ahead and use these cups? They MIGHT be the ones which came out of the frame originally, actually I think they are, but I didn't mark them carefully when I pressed them out and put them in the parts cleaner.

Am I really at risk of cracking my head tube if I force these in, with a pretty decent HS press?

BTW, the bike frame size is about 54 or 55 cm c-c with 27" wheels. Overall geometry is long and laid back, a precursor to the Super Course and the International of 1971.

Originally Posted by steve21108 (Post 22602238)

Thanks. Rare hub.

Originally Posted by Unca_Sam (Post 22611966)

You'd likely get a better response in the bicycle mechanics forum.
A good bike shop will have a headset reaming and facing tool that will machine the head tube so that the top and bottom have the correct ID and the ends are parallel. It takes a few minutes if the headset is not installed.

Originally Posted by Vintage Schwinn (Post 22614359)

There is a nice old made in Austria, 3 SPEED, J.C. HIGGINS bike that someone in the WILMINGTON, DELAWARE vicinity should get as it is for sale for only $29.99 on EBAY (location is actually in Garnet Valley, PA which is the most southeast in PA on the Delaware border, about 11 miles from Wilmington Delaware.
This ancient JC HIGGINS (I think probably made for Sears by PUCH) has that neat, really cool chainring which spells out JC HIGGINS, and of course a cottered three piece crank. At $29.99, this one is nice........appears to have an 1980's era seat, and is missing the front fender, but everything else appears solid, decent and intact.
Appears to be an almost oxblood reddish wine color, and possibly 21.5" frame. Its a nice looking 60+ year old three speed that will clean up and ride nice. Local only. Not shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195236381423

Originally Posted by ascherer (Post 22615180)

The two Sports I curate are being resuscitated and I’d like to replace the bottom-end Kendas on one of them. No more Col de la Vies or World Tours? What’s the preference and sources for better tires these days?

Originally Posted by ascherer (Post 22615180)

The two Sports I curate are being resuscitated and I’d like to replace the bottom-end Kendas on one of them. No more Col de la Vies or World Tours? What’s the preference and sources for better tires these days?

Originally Posted by ascherer (Post 22615180)

The two Sports I curate are being resuscitated and I’d like to replace the bottom-end Kendas on one of them. No more Col de la Vies or World Tours? What’s the preference and sources for better tires these days?

Originally Posted by ascherer (Post 22615180)

The two Sports I curate are being resuscitated and I’d like to replace the bottom-end Kendas on one of them. No more Col de la Vies or World Tours? What’s the preference and sources for better tires these days?

Originally Posted by raleigh76 (Post 22615467)

I got a set of Col de la vies from the seller "bikewagon" on Ebay a few months back, Currently, they don't seem to have any.

Ebay seller "bellsbikeshop" has some listed as "Panaracer Randonnee Tire 26x1-3/8" (ISO Size 590) 650A". The listing says they have more than 10 available.

I would post a link, but the forum won't let me.

Originally Posted by browngw (Post 22615396)

I've been happy with the Schwalbe Delta Cruisers on my Robin Hood Sports.

Originally Posted by nlerner (Post 22615319)

I put these Schwalbe tires on a 1940 Sports, and they really look the part: https://www.schwalbetires.com/Delta-...-Plus-11101072

Originally Posted by clubman (Post 22615325)

I've got a pair of 1" Continental City Slickers waiting for high performance 650A rims to happen along. Not of great use for now.

Originally Posted by Jawihan (Post 22616636)

Excellent work. Do you have any write up of the changes you made and the parts used?. I also have a Sports in same color in nice condition and would like to make some similar upgrades.
Thanks, James

Originally Posted by raleigh76 (Post 22616776)

Thanks! I couldn't figure out what format would be best, so hopefully this screenshot will do.

Small things that come to mind: I'm not aware of another nice 25.4 seatpost. Also, the Soma fork has almost identical geometry to the original, and it's so nice in person...

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b4d035764a.png
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c78353ef19.png

Originally Posted by Kuupola (Post 22620475)

Does this count as an English 3-speed?
Posted here before with an AW hub. Now it has an ASC from 1948 and a Harden front hub from 1949.